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Shushoku Katsudo or Hell On Earth: Page 3
When the interview was over, one of the interviewers suggested that I read Linus Torvalds' new book. That was probably because when we were discussing web page building and they were asking me the software I preferred to use, I told them that I was among the Last of the Handcoders and I dislike WYSWIG software and only use HTML editors for code validation, but I very much prefer to write my own code using Notepad, thank you. Etc etc. Maybe I talked too much about how much I like to code, so after I finished talking I was told to read Torvalds' book. But Torvalds is a programmer/developer and I am not. Maybe they think I can program because of the way I look. Anyway, I will probably read Torvalds' book in the end, just because Linux is such a phenomenon. After the final interview, they told me to talk to my Bangladeshi senpai (older one), one of the two non-Japanese currently working for the company. She turned out to have majored in Information Science in Japan, and has a master's degree in Management Information Systems as well. They told me that she was the best in her batch, and when they were under training she consistently topped her Jap colleagues/batchmates. She was nice, greeted me enthusiastically, and gave some advice. She told me that she enjoys working for the company, and that her co-workers were friendly and professional. Thee days later I got a call from the company saying that I'm in. Yey!!!
My new company is an information techonology company established in 1947. They have a total of about 4,000 employees. They are a service company providing network and information systems solutions. Their main products include providing enterprise applications (that is, they manage and distribute software-based services and solutions to corporate clients across a wide area network from a central data center) and systems intergration. They work on the design, construction, implementation and support of IT systems, as well as technical consulting. The company is one of the oldest and largest IT solutions providers in Japan. Four years ago they were Number 2 in Japan (after NTT Data), but lately they dropped to Number 4. But I prefer them over similar companies because: (1) They are part of the Fujitsu group, and I like Fujitsu; (2) Good thing I didn't make it to the NTT companies because I would ethically prefer not to work for a former monopoly; (3) I have reason to believe that Fujitsu Business Systems ignored my less-than-perfect exam results so I am very grateful to them because they focused on my real skills instead of my math stupidity.
The company also boasts of having the most qualified number of employees in terms of IT certification. To me it seems less than impressive (who cares about all those Microsoft licenses???), but according to them they have the largest percentage of licensed employees per population in the Fujitsu group.
When I enter the company in April 2002, we will have an intensive three-month, full-time training in their Kobe research and training facility (Kobe is a city near Osaka). There me and my batchmates will live under one roof and compete with each other in proving who's the best IT person. No, that's most unlikely. We'll probably be working in groups half of the time. After the 3-month training, we will be assigned to our respective posts. I hope to be assigned to Tokyo so that I can work in that big, nice building.
To tell you the truth, of course I wanted to join a super mammoth company that built concrete products like cars and stuff, but I never make it past their math-ish exams, so I love Fujitsu Business Systems because they are giving me a chance to prove myself. I will do so well that they will be glad they decided to take the risk of hiring a weirdo gaijin (alien). And, while I am a Dilbert fan, I will not make The Joy of Work : Dilbert's Guide to Finding Happiness at the Expense of Your Co-Workers my Bible in the company.
Oh, and I can be a team player, too. If you pay me enough, that is. No, really. I hope that finally becoming a company employee will teach me the importance (preferably the absolute necessity) of teamwork. There's a lot that I need to learn, indeed. But I'll be bringing with me plenty of enthusiasm and drive, and I believe that will tide me through the rough first year.
Related Link Fujitsu Business Systems - the company's official website. No sight for sore eyes, it's a sorry excuse for an IT company homepage. But that means I already got my work cut out for me, doncha think? ;-)
